Some of the soldiers were still rumbling over

Page 10.

Some of the soldiers were still rumbling over what had just been said when Mrs. Thompson inched her way toward Bacho with her fists clenched as the room grew quiet. In a tone that dripped with suspicion Mrs. Thompson spoke out, “Why should we believe you anyway Bacho, you were involved in the attack on this Fort, you and your people attempted to kill my husband and you murdered and   mutilated Mr. Taylor after he shot your dog”. The men in our company began to cheer out in agreement with what had just been said but Bacho remained stoic and somewhat defiant looking at Mrs. Thompson directly into her eyes.  The old Apache spoke loud enough for all in the room to hear telling us if he had not joined in on the raid his granddaughter would be killed. He looked toward Captain Thompson and said he had no intention of killing him and threw the spear wildly and it was his Apache brothers that murdered Williams father after they broke him out of the store room that night using his knife to pick the lock. Bacho continued that the golden pup holds great powers in the eyes of his people who believe the spirits of their dead loved ones now live inside the young dog.

I've lived on the fort long enough to know the beliefs of the Apache people were strange in the eyes of the white man but they viewed our God in the same light. Threats had be made on my life in the past for keeping a horn toad as a pet that one Apache Brave believed was his dead brother and another time for throwing a rock at a rattlesnake I found near our drinking water. I knew Bacho meant what he said and the Apache were dead serious in their beliefs and traditions but Willow was mine and no one was going to take her from me. Bacho now turned to Captain Thompson and said, “Tomorrow at dawn my people will be here to make a trade, my granddaughter “Star Raven” for your lives and the golden pup. Captain Thompson stood silent and then directed Mrs. Thompson to escort Willow and I back to his quarters. I was afraid of what was to become of Willow with just me to defend her but now the lives of the entire fort were at stake with not even a drunken father to turn to for help.

Back at the captains quarters Mrs. Thompson assured me that no harm would come to Willow especially at the word of Bacho and to worry would only make matters worst. As the night wore on I overheard Mrs. Thompson's voice rise and fall over a heated conversation with the Captain. I knew this could only mean one thing and unless I did something about it I would lose Willow also. It wasn't long before Mrs. Thompson had returned to our quarters but it was past midnight now and with Willow tucked away at my side I pretended to be asleep. Our soldiers kept a large fire going throughout the night in the fort's courtyard and it lit up our darken room just enough for me to see my way around without lighting a candle. As Mrs. Thompson lay asleep I wrapped up Willow inside a red and green checkered Indian blanket and strapped on Mrs. Thompson’s Bowie knife and together quietly we slipped out the door unnoticed. I knew which way the Apache's would be coming and after borrowing  Captain Thompson's horse, “Fremont” the most spirited horse at the fort we disappeared into the darkness and waited for dawn to arrive.